Posted on 03/17/2010 11:55:43 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Indian Army is arming its infantry soldiers with a medium range loitering missile that can strike at a target after hovering over it for 30 minutes and sending in critical data on the enemy installation.
The army has issued an open Request for Information (RFI) to major global defence companies seeking to know if they can supply a missile system with such operational characteristics.
"The RFI has been issued earlier this month. The loitering missile is basically an unmanned aerial vehicle which can transmit data after hovering over a target undetected for about half-an-hour and later self-destruct on the target, inflicting damage to the enemy installations," an army officer said here on Wednesday.
Since India does not have an indigenous product in this range of armed UAVs, the RFI sought details on the product's cruising speed, maximum range at which it can engage a target, its loitering time, data link's range, capabilities to hit and accuracy, attack from the top, abort an attack after locking on to target and re-designating a target during a mission.
Apart from seeking information on the radar cross section, the army has listed day and night camera payload, launcher, ground control station, data link system, and an inbuilt simulator as requirements for the missile system.
(Excerpt) Read more at brahmand.com ...
Interesting! What are the available options?
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Designed to reach targets at distances over 1,000km away. The Harpy’s RF seeker with an electro-optical sensor, allowing it to acquire and pursue non emitting targets and moving targets.As a loitering weapon, Harop can also be used against suspected ballistic missile sites, where target missile silos and shelters as they are opened before firing.
Raytheon and Israel’s IMI make such weapons. Strictly speaking the Harpy/Harop is not in the same class, it’s more a suicide-UAV than a loitering missile.
The Israeli Delilah (in service) and Raytheon’s concepts are most likely to be the contestants. Not sure about the status of some US loitering systems which were cancelled.
http://defense-update.com/newscast/0609/news/delilah_140609.html
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